LoL: Soraka Files 1

League of Legends ponderings:

Someone just started soraka.blogspot.com. What a great idea, one that I should have jumped on earlier. Well, that person is a much better artist than me, so likely it is for the best. But, we have the same philosophy: Soraka is a hilarious character that is weird and uniquely over-powered.... in her own wacky way. Playing Soraka is different from playing other characters, and I super enjoy it. I've been doggedly picking her for a few weeks now, and I've gotten really positive results.

1) Soraka is not a carry.

This means more than you think! I used to play Ashe. I wasn't bad, but I didn't really enjoy myself. Call me selfish (which would be weird, since I'm playing Soraka) but the pressure is too great. Didn't zone the other mid-carry? Noob. Didn't get every single last hit and farm gold like a boss? Loser. Didn't run to the other lane, initiate the battle, then kill all five other champs by yourself? Lost us the game. Expectations are too high as a carry! And I'm not naturally the "go find someone to murder right this second" type. I do alright in team fights, but at some point in your development (read: higher level games), you have to actively search out gank opportunities in order to win.

As Soraka, you are pretty much never to blame. Yeah, maybe that is selfish. But as I've said before, LoL is full of rage, and I prefer it not to be directed at me.

2) Soraka is almost never in the limelight.

Maybe your team won't notice you (sadface!), but it's a pretty good bet the other team won't notice you, either. That, or they can never reach you, but in the last few weeks, I've hardly ever seen an enemy champion on my screen field of view, let alone had anybody come after me in large groups. When the teamfight portion of the game begins, I'm officially smoke and mirrors - a hidden heal-ability, hiding in the bushes, well out of harm's way. Very few teams in the last few weeks have come after me at all, and I've had a remarkably low death-count, while amassing ridiculous assists, and generally keeping my entire team alive.

3) Soraka is incredibly team-dependent.

Everyone says this about their character, but of course, it is more true for Soraka than anyone else. She has NO ability to fight, defend, escape, gank, farm, initiate, tank, anything. She does absolutely nothing, so people who think she does, stop thinking that. She is practically a glorified backpack, filled with your health and mana potions. She makes all other champions way better, gives her team a surprising edge, but she does nothing more than that. If you make 4 good people a little better, the team is amazing. If you make 4 bad people a little better, you're still going to lose. I've had much better luck playing with pre-built 5-man, than solo-queue. But even then, be prepared to 4v5, because that's all Soraka does: makes a team of 4 champions very tough to kill.